A week in a dug-out where a boy joins his hero — and watches him break.
Who drives the story
Twenty-one, three years in command, gaunt and pale, holding himself together with whisky he calls being 'doped'. He dreads Raleigh's arrival, then keeps vigil as the boy dies — and walks back into the fire.
Eighteen, fresh from school, cricket hero, who pulled strings to serve under his friend and hero Stanhope. He survives a pointless raid only to be cut down by a shell in the final attack.
The calm middle-aged schoolmaster the men call 'Uncle', Stanhope's second-in-command and the dug-out's conscience. He leads the raid, reads Alice to calm a frightened boy, and never comes back.
A stout, cheerful former gardener promoted from the ranks, crossing off hours on a paper dial. He grieves without ceremony, refuses the command he is promised, and takes it anyway at the end.
The company cook, serving yellow soup and apples masquerading as apricots, comic relief under fire. A shell kills him while he is bringing up food.
Brigade's voice in the dug-out: he orders the raid for a prisoner 'with a German officer's cap and a map', overrules Stanhope on Raleigh, and accepts Osborne's death with 'Well, we got what we wanted'.
Also in the story
The outgoing company commander, fooling with a scarf, a sock and a revolver as he hands over. He is the first to say plainly that Stanhope 'drinks like a fish'.
How they are connected
Captain StanhopeSecond Lieutenant Raleigh
He dreads Raleigh's arrival, then keeps vigil as the boy dies — and walks back into the fire.
Lieutenant OsborneCaptain Stanhope
The calm middle-aged schoolmaster the men call 'Uncle', Stanhope's second-in-command and the dug-out's conscience.
He is the first to say plainly that Stanhope 'drinks like a fish'.
Brigade's voice in the dug-out: he orders the raid for a prisoner 'with a German officer's cap and a map', overrules Stanhope on Raleigh, and accepts Osborne's death with 'Well, we got what we wanted'.
The ColonelSecond Lieutenant Raleigh
Brigade's voice in the dug-out: he orders the raid for a prisoner 'with a German officer's cap and a map', overrules Stanhope on Raleigh, and accepts Osborne's death with 'Well, we got what we wanted'.
Brigade's voice in the dug-out: he orders the raid for a prisoner 'with a German officer's cap and a map', overrules Stanhope on Raleigh, and accepts Osborne's death with 'Well, we got what we wanted'.
Go deeper
The cost of being someone's hero · Drinking to stay standing · Pointless orders, expendable men · Time under siege
Themes explainedThe full story act by act, the ending explained and a quick quiz.
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